1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to tubular connectors, and in particular to sealing surfaces for forming a seal between a box connector and a pin connector.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Tubular members are connected to each other for various wellbore operations. The tubular members can be, for example, pipe, drill string, riser sections, casing, and the like. Some of the joints between tubular members can use integral metal-to-metal seals to form a fluid-tight seal between adjacent members. Such integral seals can be employed more rapidly, and at a lower cost, than separate seals that are placed between tubing members during makeup. A disadvantage of integral metal-to-metal seals is that they require high surface finishes and, thus, can tolerate very little damage and still work effectively.
Oilfield equipment is large and cumbersome which can make gentle handling difficult. For example, large tubular members must be transported, positioned, and joined together using heavy equipment. Movement of the equipment and the tubular members themselves can cause damage to the sealing surfaces. Even a low-speed contact between a tubular member and another piece of equipment can cause damage because the large mass, even moving at a very low velocity, can create enough force to damage a seal. Therefore, metal-to-metal seal elements must be protected by additional protectors which add cost and, depending on the protector design, can be lost or removed, thus allowing the metal-to-metal seal to be exposed to damage. Therefore, it is desirable to protect a sealing surface without requiring additional protectors. Also, protection of the sealing surfaces is needed during final make up after the pin and box are stabbed together.